JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"I see." As Sam had hoped, Juniper felt sympathy for his story replace her anger over the Mathair. Oh, he had still chosen that particular mission, so he certainly wasn't off the hook -- but she couldn't blame him for becoming Ascended at his parents' behest, to escape their disdain. The cruelty of it took her breath away, really: signing over your child to a strange god to "fix" him, pressuring him through that transformation in body and soul ... Oh, Juniper wasn't naive enough to think that no one had ever asked the Old Gods for similar things, but the Old Gods didn't remake people in their image -- and she still would have called Sam's parents cruel, even if they had gone to her own gods. "I'm sorry. No child should have to go through that -- to suffer parents like that."but it's the easiest thing to do
She leaned back a little and let out a sigh. Still angry, of course, over the attack on the Mathair -- she hadn't found any of Sam's explanations sufficient to forgive him, even if she understood better now why he'd done it. But she felt a sense of exhaustion, too. They couldn't change the past, no matter how much they agonized over it, and even understanding it could only do so much. So she turned to the future: "War is brewing. I want to find a way to stop it, and I know you do too. I don't believe that the Ascended as a people should be blamed for the crimes of a few, but most of my people don't see it that way, and there are those who would eliminate the Ascended simply for existing."
The Order, she meant, but she didn't know if Sam knew the name, or if she should share it with them. It was hard, trying to speak peace without giving away any information that might harm her side if it did come to war. Maybe she'd have to make some hard choices there, truly commit herself -- but not yet.
"I don't know how to keep the aggressors on my side in check," Juniper admitted. "I've done what I can, but ... if you have any suggestions, I'd hear them."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
